SANTA CLARA, CA--(Marketwire - October 22, 2009) - Among the most exciting features in Microsoft Corp.'s recently announced Windows 7 operating system is the ability it provides software developers to create powerful new digital media applications by harnessing the massive parallel processing power of NVIDIA® GeForce® graphics processing units (GPUs). Windows 7 gives developers this freedom through Microsoft's new DirectCompute application programming interface (API), which is being introduced as part of the Microsoft DirectX 11 API.

"DirectCompute takes GPU computing from a niche to the mainstream by making this potentially life-changing technology available to the millions of users of the Windows 7 operating system," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst for the Enderle Group. "Using the GPU and the CPU as co-processors has already yielded amazing results in fields such as medical, geological and scientific research and will have a transforming effect on consumer applications as well."

"NVIDIA has demonstrated its commitment to GPU computing with the announcement of the Fermi architecture," said Mike Ybarra, general manager of Windows Product Management at Microsoft. "Windows 7 and DirectCompute will make it even easier for developers to create innovative applications that take advantage of the GPU's massively parallel processing power."

NVIDIA has worked closely with Microsoft on the development, testing and validation of Microsoft DirectCompute. DirectCompute will be distributed as part of the DirectX 11 API and is supported by NVIDIA's current lineup of DirectX 10 GPUs and upcoming DirectX 11 GPUs based on NVIDIA's recently announced NVIDIA Fermi Architecture.

Windows developers who are interested in learning more about developing with DirectCompute and NVIDIA GPUs can get more information at www.nvidia.com/directcompute.

Consumers already running a GeForce GPU with Windows 7 can download the new WHQL-certified drivers supporting DirectCompute directly from www.nvidia.com/drivers.

About NVIDIA

NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) awakened the world to the power of computer graphics when it invented the graphics processing unit (GPU) in 1999. Since then, it has consistently set new standards in visual computing with breathtaking, interactive graphics available on devices ranging from portable media players to notebooks to workstations. NVIDIA's expertise in programmable GPUs has led to breakthroughs in parallel processing which make supercomputing inexpensive and widely accessible. Fortune magazine has ranked NVIDIA #1 in innovation in the semiconductor industry for two years in a row. For more information, see www.nvidia.com.

Certain statements in this press release including, but not limited to, statements as to: the benefits, features, impact and capabilities of NVIDIA GeForce GPUs and the impact and benefits of GPU computing; are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause results to be materially different than expectations. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include: development of more efficient or faster technology; design, manufacturing or software defects; the impact of technological development and competition; changes in consumer preferences and demands; customer adoption of different standards or our competitor's products; changes in industry standards and interfaces; unexpected loss of performance of our products or technologies when integrated into systems as well as other factors detailed from time to time in the reports NVIDIA files with the Securities and Exchange Commission including its Form 10-Q for the fiscal period ended July 26, 2009. Copies of reports filed with the SEC are posted on NVIDIA's website and are available from NVIDIA without charge. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and speak only as of the date hereof, and, except as required by law, NVIDIA disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.

© 2009 NVIDIA Corporation. All rights reserved. NVIDIA, the NVIDIA logo, GeForce, and NVIDIA Fermi are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of NVIDIA Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated. Features, pricing, availability, and specifications are subject to change without notice.

Contact Information: For further information, contact: Brian Burke NVIDIA Corporation (512) 401-4385 bburke@nvidia.com